Journal

Journal of Applied Horticulture, 8(2): 155-158, July-December, 2006

Appl

Effects of organic manure on okra (Abelmoschus

esculentus (L.) Moench) production

J. Ofosu-Anim*, E.T. Blay, and M.E. Frempong

Department of Crop Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana, *Email: aweze2002@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract
The effect of different organic manures (cow dung, poultry manure and compost) on the yield of okra, soil physical and chemical
characteristics was investigated at the University of Ghana, Legon. Results obtained revealed that the application of recycled garden
solid waste compost, poultry manure and cow dung improved the soil physical condition, particularly, structure and drainage, increased
nutrient and organic matter levels and enhanced the yield components of okra plants. Inorganic fertilizer improved only chemical
properties, but soil physical properties such as structure was not improved. There were improvements in pod yield, yield components
and pod fibre content on all manured plots. The study clearly inidicated the superiority of poultry manure over cow dung and compost
as a source of manure for okra production.
Key word: Abelmoschus esculentus, okra, organic manure, soil characteristics, yield

Introduction Materials and methods

To sustain crop yields, the removal of nutrients from the soil
has to be balanced by added amounts. Fertilizers are therefore
added to the soil to supply elements essential to the growth of
plants. The use of chemical fertilizer is necessary for supplying
the nutrient requirements but without recycling of crop residues,
yields suffer. Organic manures are normally derived from animal
or plant sources and are excellent sources of organic matter, but
relatively low in nutrients. Organic manures therefore need to
be applied at very high rates (20,000-40,000kg/ha) to make up
for their low nutrient content and to supply enough humus to
measurably improve the soil physical condition (Mathew and
Karikari, 1995).
Animal manure is an important source of N, P and K and its
additions to the soil increases the available P and exchangeable
K, Ca and Mg content (Magdoff, 1998). In addition to providing
nutrients for crop growth, manure has several beneficial effects
on soil properties. Several researchers have reported that the
application of organic waste leads to improved structural
stability, lower bulk density of the soil by increasing both the
organic fractioning of the soil and a balance between fine and
coarse pores, organic manures improve moisture retention, water
infiltration rate and the hydraulic conductivity of soil (Tisdale et
al., 1990; Young, 1997).
Most of the okra produced in Ghana and other West African
countries are grown on sandy loam and loam soils which, with
time, may become deficient in N, P, K, Mg and B (Nelson and
Tisdale, 1978). Chemical fertilizers do not sustain soil fertility
for longer and after their continual use there is deterioration of
soil characteristics. This study was undertaken to investigate the
effectiveness of different nutrient supply regimes namely, cow
dung, poultry manure and compost and inorganic fertilizer for
improvement and maintenance of soil fertility, yield and quality
of okra.
Field experiment was conducted at the University of Ghana,
Legon. The soil in the farm belongs to the Adenta series, Ferric
Acrisols (WRB, 1998). Poultry manure and cow dung used
for the research were collected from the Agricultural Research
Station, University of Ghana and dried thoroughly before
application. Garden solid waste compost was prepared from
elephant grass, lawn clippings, leuceana tree prunings (Leuceana
leucocephala), topsoil and cow dung. Bulk samples of soil, and
a mixture of soil plus manure were collected from the top 0-15
cm at the time of land preparation for physical and chemical
characterization. Analyses were carried out at the Soil Science
Laboratory, University of Ghana, Legon. Parameters determined
included particle size, pH in 1:1 soil:water ratio and 1:2 soil:0.01
CaCl2. Organic carbon was determined by Walkley and Black
method and total nitrogen by the macro Kjeldahl’s method
involving digestion and distillation. Bray’s No 1 method was
used to determine available phosphorus and exchangeable cations
were determined by the flame photometry.
Cow dung, poultry manure, compost, inorganic fertilizer and
control (no-manure) were used as treatments in this study. NPK
(15:15:15) was applied two weeks after planting (WAP) at the
rate of 300 kg ha-1, and ammonium sulphate as side dress at 4
and 6 weeks after planting at the rate of 125 kg ha-1. Treatments
were arranged in a randomised complete block design with 3
replications. Okra var: Asontem White was used. Each replicate
had 36 plants and 16 record plants. Manure was incorporated
into the soil two weeks before planting the test crop at the rate
of 25 t ha-1. Soil and a mixture of soil and manure sampling
were carried out before planting and at 12 WAP and analysed.
Chemical fertilizers were applied to inorganic fertilizer treatment
plots. At fruit maturity, yield, yield components and pod fibre
were determined.
156 Effects of organic manure on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) production

Results The Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) of soil of the control plot
was 14.3 Cmol kg-1, incorporation of organic matter such as
Table 1 depicts nutrient content of compost, cow dung and poultry poultry manure, cow dung and compost increased the CEC of
manure used in the study. Poultry manure had the highest total the soil to 17.1, 16.8 and 16.7 Cmol kg-1, respectively.
nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels
followed by cow dung and compost. Table 3 shows the effect of manure application on soil physical
and chemical characteristics at 12 weeks after planting. Soil bulk
Initial effects of manure application on some soil physical and
Table 1. Chemical characteristics of poultry manure, cow dung and
chemical properties are shown in Table 2. Both the untreated compost used in the studies
soil (no manure) and compost-supplemented soil were within Manure
the sandy loam texture range. Poultry manure supplemented Property
Compost Cow dung Poultry manure
soil gave higher levels of organic matter, available P and K, Kjedhal–Nitrogen(%) 0.7 0.76 2.04
exchangeable Ca, Mg than the other manured soil and control.
Total P (%) 0.06 0.18 1.54
Soil in control plots had a slightly acidic pH, however, the cow
dung and poultry manure supplemented soils were near neutral. Total K (%) 0.24 0.55 0.65

Table 2. Physical and chemical characteristics of soil and soil plus manure within a 0-15 cm soil depth (before planting)
Characterstics Untreated soil Inorganic fertilizer Compost Cow dung Poultry manure
(Control) + soil + soil + soil + soil
Sand (%) 57.4 56.9 56.5 49.6 47.2
Silt (%) 11.6 12.2 11.5 19.4 17.8
Clay (%) 35.0 34.5 30.0 25.0 24.6
Organic carbon (%) 0.72 0.73 0.75 0.96 1.04
Kj-nitrogen (%) 0.10 0.11 0.12 0.13 0.15
Total P (ppm) 188.1 259.8 234.2 398.7 398.9
Total K (%) 0.08 0.13 0.11 0.14 0.16
Available K (mg kg )
-1
0.60 0.93 0.82 1.20 1.36
Available P (mg kg )
-1
8.15 13.83 9.43 45.0 50.2
Water holding capacity (WHC) 40.0 40.2 42.0 45.0 49.0
Ca2+ (mg kg-1) 2.2 2.2 3.6 5.0 5.6
Mg (mg kg )
2+ -1
4.4 4.4 5.8 7.4 8.1
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) [Cmol kg ] -1
14.3 13.9 16.7 16.8 17.1
pH 6.1 6.4 6.4 6.6 6.8
Bulk density 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.2

Table 3. Physical and chemical characteristics of soil and soil plus manure within a 0-15 cm soil depth (twelve weeks after planting)
Characterstics Untreated soil Inorganic fertilizer Compost Cow dung Poultry manure
(Control) + soil + soil + soil + soil
Sand (%) 57.5 57.8 56.2 52.9 55.6
Silt (%) 10.8 10.5 15.6 19.6 16.9
Clay (%) 35.0 35.1 29.5 27.5 27.4
Organic carbon (%) 0.78 0.75 0.81 1.02 1.32
Kj-nitrogen (%) 0.11 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.15
Total P (ppm) 198.7 261.7 229.1 415.8 432.6
Total K (%) 0.07 0.12 0.10 0.14 0.16
Available K (mg kg-1) 0.58 0.95 0.77 1.24 1.54
Available P (mg kg )
-1
9.02 13.95 9.58 46.3 51.42
Water holding capacity (WHC) 41.5 41.4 43.1 47.0 51.4
Ca2+ (mg kg-1) 2.0 2.1 3.4 4.8 5.5
Mg (mg kg )
2+ -1
4.4 4.4 5.9 7.8 8.6
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) [Cmol kg ] -1
15.01 14.2 16.91 17.03 17.15
pH 6.2 6.5 6.6 6.8 6.9
Bulk density 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.0
 Effects of organic manure on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) production 157

density decreased in the poultry manure, cow dung and compost manure application. Plants responded to the improved conditions
treated plots while soil pH, nitrate-N, available P, available K under manure, especially poultry manure, with an increased
and organic matter contents increased. yield (Bhangoo et al., 1988; Howard and Albregts, 1981). The
significant increase in total yields in manured plots might also
Water infiltration rate at 12 WAP was higher in the poultry
be attributed to the increased branching. In okra, more branching
manure, cow dung and compost treated plots as compared to the
accounts for increased yield as pod developed in the axil of
inorganic fertilizer and control plots. The increase is probably
every branch once flowering has began. Similarly, the significant
due to the cumulative effect of applied organic manure on soil
difference in pod length, girth and pod fresh weight with manured
structure. The results in Table 3 indicate that inorganic fertilizer
plots compared to the control might be due to differences in soil
supplemented plots showed improvement only in the soil
structure and fertility. The increase in the water holding capacity
chemical properties, but not on soil physical properties such as
and increased availability of nutrients of the soil in manured plots
bulk density and water holding capacity.
might have provided additional support to the plants (Agarwala
Manure application resulted in significantly greater soil organic et al., 1981; Nelson and Tisdale, 1978).
matter level and a positive organic matter balance in the soil. In
Table 4. Number of pods, pod length, pod girth and pod fresh weight
a study to evaluate the effects of organic matter and nutrients in
of okra
manure on soil organic matter dynamics and crop production,
Treatment Pod number Pod length Pod girth Pod fresh
Eghball et al. (2002) reported significantly greater soil organic
plant-1 (cm) (cm) weight (g)
matter level in plots treated with organic manure. In the present
Control 2.13 5.30 1.97 9.47
study, poultry manure gave the higher organic matter content
compared to other manured treatments. The addition of the Inorganic fertilizer 2.33 5.53 2.13 11.10
organic manure might have provided supplemental exchangeable Cow dung 3.53 5.93 2.13 13.03
cations such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and ammonium Compost 2.83 5.77 2.17 11.53
(NH4+) in the topsoil (Olsen et al., 1970). The application of Poultry Manure 4.33 6.50 2.40 15.90
manure influenced the soil pH and bulk density. The soil in the LSD (P < 0.05) 1.36 0.39 0.31 1.77
farm was slightly acidic but the application of organic manure
decreased the acidity as indicated by the increased pH. Magdoff Increased organic matter in the soil from application of poultry
(1998) reported that, organic matter is a reservoir of plant manure, cow dung and compost improved both soil physical
nutrients and exhibits a high cation exchange capacity and buffers and chemical properties compared to inorganic fertilizer alone
the soil against pH changes. Manured soils recorded a significant and the control. Poultry manure was identified as a better
decrease in bulk density. The decrease in bulk density of the source of organic manure for okra production than cow dung
manured soils could be attributed to the increase in organic matter and compost.
content of the soil. Young (1997) stated that addition of organic
matter lowers bulk density, improves structure and increase a Acknowledgement
balance between fine and coarse pores. The result of the studies
We thank the staff of the Agricultural Research Station,University
indicates that the addition of manure increases the water holding
of Ghana, Legon for proving the poultry manure and cow dung
capacity of the soil which might be due to the organic matter in
and the Soil Science Laboratory, University of Ghana, for
the soil. Organic matter improves water infiltration rate, water
analysing the soil.
holding capacity and the hydraulic conductivity of soil (Cross
and Fischbach, 1972; Hafez, 1974).
References
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